Device for tilting advancing containers

ABSTRACT

A device for tilting consecutively a row of advancing containers from an upright to a lying position by applying an accelerating force in the feed direction to the bottom of the containers so that the containers fall backwards during their uninterrupted travel.

limited States Patent [72] Inventor Willem Wolzali Landsmeer,Netherlands [21] Appl. No. 36,795

[22] Filed Mary 13, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 21, 1971 [73] Assignee StorkAmsterdam N.V.

Amstelveen, Netherlands [32] Priority May 14, 1969 [3 3 Netherlands [54]DEVICE FOR TllLTING ADVANCING CONTAINERS 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

{52] KLSJCH 19%33 All), I 198/165 [51] lint. Cl. B65]; 47/24] [50] Fieldof Search... 198/33 AD, 165; 193/43 R, 43 C, 43 D [56] lltelielrenmCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,312,326 4/7 967 Huppcnthal 198/33 ADPrimary Examiner-Evon C. Blunlt Assistant Examiner-Alfred N. GoodmanAttorney-Waters, Roditi. Schwartz and Nissen ABSTRACT: A device fortilting coneecutively a row of advancing containers from an upright to alying position by applying an accelerating force in the feed directionto the bottom of the containers so that the containers fall backwardsduring their uninterrupted travel.

PATENTEU new mm 8; 6284651 SHKET 1. UF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART Theinvention relates to a device for tilting advancing containers, liketins or glass jars with an almost flat or convex bottom, from an uprightposition into a horizontal position, comprising a feed path with anendless conveyor passing over a number of sprocket wheels, said conveyorbeing in contact with the bottom of the containers to be tilted in orderto advance them at the desired velocity.

Such a device and various variants thereof are known in which mostly thecontainers are tilted by guiding them around a bend. It has howeverappeared that in this manner it is not possible to obtain under allcircumstances a satisfactory solution for the problem how to chancecontinuously the position of a large number of containers per time unit.The necessity to increase the speed at which the tilting movement iseffected as a consequence of the ever growing capacity of the apparatusin which containers filled with, e.g., foodstuffs are treated.

Such an apparatus may, e.g., consist of a device for pasteurizing orsterilizing milk, vegetables or other foodstuffs packed in tins or glassjars. In the inlet and/or outlet of such an apparatus a device fortilting the advancing containers may be required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide adevice which allows for a great output, without the containers beingexposed to great forces or considerable accelerations or slowdowns.

This object is attained according to the invention in that the feedconveyor only contacts the central area of the bottom of the container;

a discharge conveyor is provided moving at a speed higher than that ofthe feed conveyor, said discharge conveyor being in contact with themarginal areas situated on either side of the central bottom area ofeach container;

the first part of the discharge conveyor overlaps the end of the feedconveyor.

Due to these features, at the end of the feed path, the bottom is as itwere drawn from under each container so that same tips backwards in sucha manner that it is brought from an upright position into a horizontalposition.

According to an embodiment the discharge conveyor consists of twoinclined faces disposed in front of one the other in a V-shapedconfiguration and extending partially under the level of the supply pathand for the rest thereabove. The application of this V-shapedconfiguration provides as it were a gutter in which each tiltedcontainer is received so that it cannot move sidewise or land in anoblique position.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I is a side elevation of atilting device in which some tins are depicted in various positionswhich they consecutively assume.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view as seen from the left of FIG. I.

The FIGS. 4 and 5 show a section according to the lines IV--IV, VV,respectively in FIG. 1.

The device consists of a feed path I provided with an endless conveyor2, e.g., embodied as a flat link chain passing over some sprocket wheels3, one of which is only shown. The conveyor 2 is rather narrow, so thatit is only in contact with the central area of the bottom of thecontainers 4 (see FIG. 3). These containers are supplied in an uprightposition by the feed path I (see FIG. I).

A discharge conveyor 5 adjoins the feed path I and consists of twoinclined faces which are arranged in a V-shaped configuration. Theseinclined faces are constituted by two endless belts 6 passing over twopairs of rollers 7. As is best seen in FIG. 3, two belts 6 extendspartially below the level of the feed path I and for the restthereabove. The rollers 7 have a center line which makes an angle withthe axis of the final sprocket 3 of the feed path I.

In the embodiment depicted the return rollers are at an angle of 45 withthe horizontal plane and they are provided with a drive 8 consisting ofa chain transmission which is centrally driven from a location situatedslightly beyond the area 9 in which the feed path overlaps the dischargeconveyor 5 (see FIG. I). The drive of the belts 6 is effected at a speedhigher than that of the conveyor 2 of the feed path I. The effectthereof is visible in FIG. I.

The containers 4 are supplied at a uniform velocity along the path I andon reaching the area of overlap 9 they will by their marginal portionson either side of the central area of their bottom come into contactwith the faster moving belts 6, so that the container is as it weredrawn from under and is tilted backwards to land finally in a horizontalposition between the two belts 6 (see FIG. 5).

The discharge conveyor 5 is supported in such a manner that the twobelts 6 can be vertically moved up and down in order to obtain a smalleror larger supporting face above the level of the feed path. It is alsopossible to move the belts 6 apart in a horizontal direction, transverseto the direction in which the containers 6 are supplied, in order toobtain a narrower or wider receiving gutter and to allow in this way anadaptation to the size of the containers 4. In spite of the over lappingposition of the end of the feed path and the beginning of the dischargeconveyor no problems occur as to the drive of the various rollers sinceon the underside there is plenty place for driving members.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the applicationof a discharge conveyor consisting of two endless belts. It isconceivable that this discharge conveyor is constituted by a V-shapedrim of a wheel with a great diameter on which the same tilting operationas depicted in FIG. I will be effected. The application of endless belts6 is advantageous in that the construction is spatially very compact,while moreover the containers land on a yielding surface so that thereis hardly any risk of damage.

Experiments have demonstrated that with the tilting device according tothe invention very great velocities can be applied and that aconsiderable treatment capacity can be achieved which can be stepped upto double the capacity with respect to that which so far was possible,without any risk of damage or other disturbance in tilting.

What is claimed is:

- I. A device for tilting advancing containers, like tins or glass jarsfrom an upright position into a horizontal position, comprising a feedpath with an endless conveyor in contact with the bottom of thecontainers to be tilted in order to advance them at the desiredvelocity, the improvement consisting in that: the feed conveyor onlycontacts a narrow diametrical zone of the bottom of the containers, adischarge conveyor is provided moving at a speed higher than that of thefeed conveyor, said discharge conveyor consisting of two inclined facesarranged with respect to one another so as to form a V-shapedconfiguration, and being in contact with the marginal areas situated oneither side of said diametrical zone at the bottom of each container;and the first part of the discharge conveyor overlaps the end of thefeed conveyor.

2. A device according to claim I, wherein the inclined faces areconstituted by two endless belts passing over two pairs of returnrollers with a centerline which makes an angle with the sprocket wheelaxes of the feed conveyor.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the return rollers of thedischarge conveyor make an angle of 45 with the horizontal plane, whiletheir width above the level of supply is equal to the half diameter ofthe containers.

1. A device for tilting advancing containers, like tins or glass jarsfrom an upright position into a horizontal position, comprising a feedpath with an endless conveyor in contact with the bottom of thecontainers to be tilted in order to advance them at the desiredvelocity, the improvement consisting in that: the feed conveyor onlycontacts a narrow diametrical zone of the bottom of the containers, adischarge conveyor is provided moving at a speed higher than that of thefeed conveyor, said discharge conveyor consisting of two inclined facesarranged with respect to one another so as to form a V-shapedconfiguration, and being in contact with the marginal areas situated oneither side of said diametrical zone at the bottom of each container;and the first part of the discharge conveyor overlaps the end of thefeed conveyor.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the inclinedfaces are constituted by two endless belts passing over Two pairs ofreturn rollers with a centerline which makes an angle with the sprocketwheel axes of the feed conveyor.
 3. A device according to claim 2,wherein the return rollers of the discharge conveyor make an angle of45* with the horizontal plane, while their width above the level ofsupply is equal to the half diameter of the containers.